A couple months ago, there were some line jumpers that were caught at the station for X-Flight. They made a huge scene and refused to leave. The ride operators shut down the ride until security and Gurnee police came to escort them out.

Based on the 2 articles I read, it sounds like the husband didn't touch them. The group started attacking the 12 yo boy and the husband tried to save his kid. The articles also say they were using vulgar language so maybe the husband told them to stop doing that?? I know this is an isolated incident and something like this could happen anywhere (ie. movie theater, cubs game, Sox game, etc).

I'm really saddened that nobody stepped in to help the family. Last year there was a teen girl who was very angry because a boy supposedly cut in line and messed up the grouping/order with others. She challenged the kid to a fight and started swearing. I told her "it's not that serious " and that her behavior was out of line. So then she gave me an earful. I guess I just don't tolerate people "acting up" at our park because it's like my 2nd home. It's supposed to be a family place!

I've reported a few instances to workers and they most often just ignore me and don't do anything. ONE TIME they told the offenders to leave. But by and large, it seems to happen now and then, not terribly often, but most people don't seem to care. It bothers me not becuase it means maybe one extra ride wait as much as I just think you should follow the rules and respect people around you.

I also have to say that while I haven't seen a lot of totally disrespectful people at the park, you don't have to look far in the news reports to know that a larger and larger part of the population is going that way, which is quite sad. So, I guess it was only a matter of time, and I wouldn't write it off from happening again.

Last year a younger guy actually picked my kid 13yo up, physically, in the Go Kart line, spun him around and sort of "tossed" him to get ahead of him in the line. Suffice it to say I made SURE the workers knew, and they asked him to leave the Go Karts, but I should have pushed to have him removed from the park and/or had charges pressed. But that is in the past, it just is an illustration that it can and will happen, as unfortunate as it is. We have come to really enjoy the park, driving in 90min each way but coming as often as we can.

Somewhat sidetone but I actually almost had a run in with park security last year at SFNE...

Me and my 11 yo sister were in line for Catwomen's Whip and the operator opened the gate and we all made a mad scramble to find a seat (no airgates). So turns out and he let 2 more people in than the coaster can seat, and it was me and my sister so he had us go back in line. Well, he opened the gate and there was this little girl, say 7 yo, practically holding on to the gate and gave me and my sister no room to come back in. So we brushed our way back into the line and waited behind the gate. But the little girl was crawling closer and closer the the gate, where me and my sister were. The coaster did its thing and then he opened the gate, and the girl ran out the gate before us. she was lost though, went to the left, and me and my sister were beginning to sit down in the first row and the girl came back to the first row, implying she wanted to sit there but I was already sitting there and my sister was about to sit down. So she chose another row.

After the ride me and my sister were walking through the exit and then this women comes behind me saying "did you touch this girl?" but I didn't hear her so I asked "what" and saw that same little girl. she said "did. you. touch. this. girl." and I was so confused I was like "uh no... if I did it certainly wasn't intentional" and then she went to the little girl and pointing at me she said "did this man touch you?" and the girl thought for 5-10 seconds and then slowly nodded her head. so the women ripped into me, not screaming but saying very loudly "dude how dare you touch her? she's literally 7 years old. You're old enough. All for a stupid seat. come on. grow up." and I was like "what?? I never touched her. like we probably brushed up against each other but it wasn't intentional. Im sorry but I didn't mean to" and she's like "do we need to get park security? this is outrageous." I'm like "park security?? Im from Chicago just trying to enjoy myself, I didn't do anything intentionally you're insane" she said "we are trying to have a fun time too, this is six flags, touching little girls has no room here" by this time we walked through the exit into the midway and she asked "wheres security?" and took her daughter by the hand and stormed off towards superman/bizzaro so I took my sister the opposite way away from the scene ASAP. Really dampened my day. Park security never tackled me and put me in cuffs, so not sure if she ever went to security or not. Didn't see them the rest of the day.

That was kinda off topic but I have been wanted to rant about it on the forums but never got to it. If there is a take away from this is that some people in line can be extremely passionate. I guess the women was under the impression I held back her daughter for the first row, effectively line cutting. She was absolutely livid, and I did absolutely nothing on purpose. So it just shows some people can be through the roof when in lines for coasters. but I didn't do anything intentionally, while the larger group at SFGAm did, so I'm sure that was why it was much uglier.

n9yty wrote:Last year a younger guy actually picked my kid 13yo up, physically, in the Go Kart line, spun him around and sort of "tossed" him to get ahead of him in the line. Suffice it to say I made SURE the workers knew, and they asked him to leave the Go Karts, but I should have pushed to have him removed from the park and/or had charges pressed. But that is in the past, it just is an illustration that it can and will happen, as unfortunate as it is. We have come to really enjoy the park, driving in 90min each way but coming as often as we can.

This is absolutely inappropriate and crazy! As a parent, I can totally relate to someone messing with my kids. The kid's lucky you didn't pick him up and toss him!

Last edited by CoasterRiderSC on September 29th, 2017, 11:45 am, edited 2 times in total.

Dan The Coaster Man wrote:That was kinda off topic but I have been wanted to rant about it on the forums but never got to it. If there is a take away from this is that some people in line can be extremely passionate. .

Dan - I totally agree with you about people being extremely passionate while in line. This woman also sounds like a parent who believes her kid can do no wrong. Good thing you got away from the scene. Also her yelling "did you touch this girl" super loud can definitely be misconstrued the wrong way and then you could end up in jail......

I visited the park last night. At the entrance of Bull, my friend and I were given a blue ticket with a number on it. I asked the attendant what it was for and he said "just hold on to it". Seemed kinda pointless.....no one asked to see it again. I wonder if this had anything to do with the attack? I've never been given a ticket for any ride in the past. Does anyone know what it was for?

They're supposed to, but often times there's miscommunication between whoever's giving them out (Usually Guest Services, Security, or Photos. For all I know Photos isn't a separate department.) or Flash Pass. Lately there isn't enough staffing for a grouper, so ride ops often have no clue whether tickets are even being distributed.

So apparently, Gregory Battle, the teen who attacked that poor family last year, missed his court hearing a few weeks ago from this incident and a warrant was issued with no bail bond status. Here are the main points of the article and for those who want some peace of mind hopefully...

Battle, who was released from the Lake County jail last year after posting bond, was in court Friday morning after Lake County Circuit Judge Mark Levitt was informed by pretrial services that Battle had missed school — which he was required to attend as part of his release from custody prior to trial — on several occasions.

According to authorities, Battle was also drug-tested Friday, and Levitt was told Tuesday morning he had tested positive for marijuana. When informed Battle was not in court Tuesday, Levitt issued a “no bond” warrant for Battle, specifying that he must be brought directly before Levitt in court if he is taken into custody.

The family has claimed a 12-year-old family member suffered “permanent and disabling” injuries from the attack.

Battle was alone in court as his case was called, but on Tuesday, family members were present but Battle was not. Levitt was told Battle was not seen by his family Monday or Monday night, and they were unsure where he has gone.

Assistant State’s Attorney John Brown said the state will oppose continued pretrial bond for Battle if and when he returns to court.

Battle was released from jail [the first time] after posting a $2,000 cash bond, the customary 10 percent of his $20,000 bail. His bail status now is set at no bond, and Brown said the state will object to any reduction in that prior to trial.

According to the civil suit, three family members and a friend were attending the Halloween-themed promotion at the park when the brawl broke out. It claims about 20 young people gathered in a group began taunting a female member of the family, and then, without provocation, one member of the group began punching the woman's son in the face and jaw, and another hit him in the head and neck, the suit states.

The boy's father tried to intervene but was “viciously” attacked, and the mother and son watched “in horror” while the group “appeared to be beating and kicking (him) to death,” the suit states.

The suit asserts that the operators of the park were negligent for allowing the attack to occur and because security personnel “did nothing to intervene” to stop it. The suit claims that the son suffered permanent and disabling injuries, and seeks more than $50,000 to pay for past and future surgical care and rehabilitation for the victims.

Feel free to click on the link at the top to read the article in its entirety. Wonder what will be next for this delinquent and the victims.

For the second time in less than a month, a Waukegan man charged with aggravated battery involving an alleged attack at Great America has become a fugitive while out on pretrial bond.

In a terse hearing Thursday called to address an “emergency motion” by the state, Judge Mark Levitt issued an arrest warrant for Gregory Battle, 18.

“No bond. Returnable only to me,” Levitt said in outlining terms of the warrant should Battle be apprehended.

Battle was supposed to be heading to a month-long drug treatment inpatient stay at a facility in Carbondale.

Assistant State’s Attorney John Brown told Levitt Thursday morning that bond services personnel said Battle told them he was going to his home to collect belongings for his rehabilitation stay, and then disappeared.

That occurred after Levitt had lowered Battle’s bond Monday from $500,000 to $20,000 to allow him to leave the Lake County jail to attend the treatment program.

His bond had been raised from $20,000 to $500,000 when Battle was arrested on a previous no-bond warrant in Waukegan on May 2, after he did not appear in court the week prior after allegedly failing a drug test.

Levitt then reduced the bail back to $20,000 on Monday so Battle could be free from custody on a $2,000 bond to attend the treatment program.

Neither Brown nor defense attorney Joe Zeit had any comment on the issue after the hearing Thursday.

In lowering Battle’s bond after his arrest last week and giving him the opportunity to attend the treatment program, which Levitt said he was doing primarily for Battle’s parents, the judge warned Battle the consequences would be “extremely serious” if Battle violated his bond conditions again.

“Let’s see what you do with it,” Levitt had told Battle Monday with regard to the opportunity to attend treatment.

Related: 911 caller says man was punched 'five times in the face' in Great America attack »

Battle was missing for about a week on the first arrest warrant, before he was spotted May 2 by officers in the area of Jackson and Washington streets and apprehended, according to Waukegan Police Cmdr. Joe Florip.

Defense attorneys had sought permission for the treatment program following his return to custody to allow Battle the opportunity to address drug issues and any other problems before continuing the pretrial process.

Battle was charged with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm and aggravated battery in a public place, felonies carrying a possible prison term of two to five years in prison upon conviction, following a Sept. 23, 2017 incident at Great America in Gurnee.

Gurnee police described the incident as an attack by a group of nine people against a family of three, and a civil suit filed by the family against the park claims a 12-year-old family member suffered "permanent and disabling" injuries from the attack.

In addition to Battle, a Waukegan resident, eight juveniles ranging in age from 15 to 17 were charged in juvenile petitions for mob action. Officials have said that seven of the juvenile suspects were from Waukegan and one was from Beach Park.

Police said injured family members were all taken to Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville for treatment after the alleged attack.

The suit claims operators of the park were negligent for allowing the attack to occur, and because security personnel did nothing to intervene and stop it, and seeks monetary damages to pay for past and future surgical care and rehabilitation for the victims.